


It's not about me

by legolastariel



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Best Friends, Feelings Realization, Friendship/Love, POV Daryl Dixon, POV First Person, Understanding, soul mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-29 08:16:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12626853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legolastariel/pseuds/legolastariel
Summary: Daryl's POV on Rick's statement"It's not about me".





	It's not about me

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little unbeta'ed something I wrote just now, inspired by TWDObsessive's poem _What scares me_.  
>  http://archiveofourown.org/works/12617936
> 
> I did refer to a part of my own story _White_  
>  http://archiveofourown.org/works/12371787
> 
> but it's not necessary to read either for this story here. 
> 
> I'm trying to get into the Rickyl mood again - the beginning of a season always confuses me, when after the months of a hiatus with lots of Rickyl stories (writing and reading alike) those boys don't kiss on screen. LOL  
> So this is just a little ficlet I hope you'll enjoy.

_** It’s not about me ** _

 

  
            _It’s not about me._

Ya keep sayin’ that, as though it was a mantra, a reminder, a way ta keep ya grounded.  
I know ya think ya’ve failed us when he managed ta bring ya down on yer knees, made ya give in ‘n’ obey his orders. Ya think I still see yer tears ‘n’ fear when I look into yer eyes – and maybe I do. What ya never understood is that it’s the greatest strength of all ta step down, swallow yer pride, do what ya have … what ya _hate_ ta do – for the ones ya love, to save lives, to keep things together. The tears ya shed for others are the ones ya never need ta be ashamed of. Yet ya ain’t seein’ it that way.

Ya was ashamed back then, after Lori’s death and after the fall of the prison. Ashamed ‘cause fallin’ apart was never an option, couldn’t happen. Just like now. So ya try twice as hard soon as yer back on yer feet, try to demonstrate strength and dominance in any given moment, which is when yer self-confidence turned into arrogance in the past ‘n’ sent ya spinnin’ outta control. 

But not anymore. I’ve seen ya stand at the graves of Glenn and Abraham. To remind ya. Ya’ve never hugged and kissed Judy, Carl ‘n’ me as often as ya have these past weeks. To remind ya. I’ve seen ya look at yerself in the mirror, starin’ at yer reflection in search a’ the man ya wanna be, the man ya need ta be, silently implorin’ yerself. To remind ya it’s about all of us, the good people in this world, our kids, you ‘n’ me. 

Ya look to me for strength ‘n’ guidance, think I’s the one who kept ya goin’, the one without whom ya couldn’t go on. Ain’t true. This ain’t ‘bout me, neither.   
I wouldn’t be here without ya, none of us would be. Yer the first who gave ma life a meaning ‘n’ the day I die it’s thanks ta you that I can go knowin’ I had a value ‘n’ did things that mattered, at least for a while. For as long as I’s by yer side, I _was_ someone. Don’t ya know how much that means?

‘m gonna be right behind ya ta have yer back for as long as we live. And throughout this freakin’ war ‘m gonna stand in front of ya without hesitation, if that means takin’ a bullet that has yer name on it.   
I know what ya mean when ya say it ain’t ‘bout ya. Yer thinkin’ ‘bout all of our people, the communities, the war.  
I’m thinkin’ ‘bout you. All the time. Day ‘n’ night. Start ta finish. To me it _is_ about ya, always has been, always will be.   
We’re one, you ‘n’ I, a unit. ‘s senseless ta figure out who the stronger one is, ‘cause alone, without the other we’ll fail. There ain’t no flyin’ without the wind beneath yer wings. Only one part of a unit has no meanin’, ain’t gonna last.   
I need ya as much as ya need me, so either one day the two of us are gonna stand on a field a’ victory side by side, or we’re gonna go out together. That’s the promise I made, the other day when I gave ya the armbands with our initials on ‘em – together, forever. 

I luv ya.  ‘s actually quite simple. As long as ya got someone ta say these words to – _that’s_ what it’s all about.


End file.
